Contamination Levels of Soil-like Material Recovered Through Landfill Mining from Anantapur Dump Yard, India

Landfill mining (LFM) is increasingly adopted in India as a strategy to reclaim land and recover materials from legacy municipal solid waste (MSW) dumpsites. The study evaluates the contamination levels of soil-like material (SLM: < 4.75 mm fine fraction) recovered from the Anantapur dump yard in South India, with the aim of evaluating its potential for reuse potential and environmental risks. Samples were analysed for organic content, total soluble solids, leachate characteristics, and heavy metal concentrations, using pollution indices such as the contamination Factor (C_f), geo-accumulation index (I_geo), and enrichment factor (EF) were applied to determine contamination severity. The organic content in SLM ranged from 14-17%, significantly exceeding typical thresholds for engineering reuse. Total soluble solids (800-1000 mg/L) and leachate sulphate and chloride concentrations, surpassed national water quality standards. Heavy metals such as lead and copper exhibited extreme contamination, while zinc and manganese show moderate to high contamination. The findings highlight that while landfill mining aids in waste reduction and land reclamation, the high contamination levels in SLM necessitate proper remediation before reuse. The findings contribute to growing knowledge on LFM and provide site-specific data critical for sustainable landfill reclamation in semi-arid regions.